Apparatus for producing foundry moulds

ABSTRACT

An apparatus for producing foundry moulds comprising a machine frame, a flask turntable and a pattern turntable vertically journaled on the machine frame. A flask rests on the flask turntable, and a pattern depends from the pattern turntable. The apparatus is provided with means for placing sand in the flask and has means for rotating the flask turntable and the pattern turntable to position the pattern above the flask. The apparatus also has means for pressing the pattern into the sand while confining the sand to the compartment.

United States Patent 1191 Feller Apr. 9, 1974 APPARATUS FOR PRODUCINGFOUNDRY MOULDS [76] Inventor: Kurt W. Feller, lnder Sommeraull,

Zurich, Switzerland 8053 [22] Filed: Oct. 4, 1971 [21] Appl. No.:186,156

[30] Foreign Application Priority Data Oct. 3, 1970 Germany 2048749 [52]US. Cl. 164/194, 164/37 [51] Int. Cl. B22c 15/02 [58] Field of Search164/29, 37, 38, 40, 44,

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,181,207 5/1965 Schaible164/181 X 2,752,646 7/1956 Lasater 3,516,475 6/1970 Dougherty 961,7026/1910 Lewis 1,762,125 6/1930 Perry 164/181 3,029,482 4/1962 Burnett164/18 2,904,858 9/1959 Pinch0n..... 164/193 X 3,172,173 3/1965 Ellms164/192 X 3,284,858 11/1966 Taccone 164/171 3,397,737 8/1968 Tuttle164/339 X 3,618,668 11/1971 Dupre 164/194 Primary Examiner-J. SpencerOverholser Assistant Examiner-John S. Brown Attorney, Agent, orFirm-Otto John Munz [5 7] ABSTRACT An apparatus for producing foundrymoulds comprising a machine frame, a flask turntable and a patternturntable vertically journaled on the machine frame. A flask rests onthe flask turntable, and a pattern depends from the pattern turntable.The apparatus is provided with means for placing sand in the flask andhas means for rotating the flask turntable and the pattern turntable toposition the pattern above the flask. The apparatus also has means forpressing the pattern into the sand while confining the sand to thecompartment.

7 Claims, 13 Drawing Figures PMENTEDAPR 9 I924 SHkET 1 [IF 7 TMENTEUAPR9 I974 3,802,487

sum 5 or 7 FIG. 6

APPARATUS FOR PRODUCING FOUNDRY MOULDS This application relates to amethod for making foundry moulds in flasks on automatic turntablemoulding machines with multiple work stations, whereby the flaskcirculation is arranged separately from the pattern circulation andwhereby the pattern is compressed from above directly into the sandpackage.

It is important that automatic moulding units are operated economicallywith almost full utilization of the mould area and with the possibilityof pattern exchange within the cycle time of the unit and besides thepattern circulation, that the machines are also arranged for thealternative possibility to operate with one pattern in the compressionstation for a number of successive cycles, if necessary.

Multiple station index arm machines as well as turntable machines areknown which circulate the flask together with the pattern. Those unitshave the disadvantage that it is not possible to change the patternwithout stopping the machine. Furthermore, it is impossible to changethe pattern within the cycle time. Furthermore, it is not possiblebecause of the fixed attachment of flask with pattern to retain onepattern in the compression station for moulding of high series moulds.Furthermore, prior machines produce high series production with onepattern only, requiring melting-and coremaking facilities balancedaccordingly. Other prior turntable units permit a pattern circulationbut do not permit, within the same arrangement, the indexing of theflask from work station to work station to achieve high productionperformances with short cycle times.

To avoid those disadvantages, an apparatus and method is provided bythis invention, whereby the flask circulation is separated from and isbelow the pattern circulation. Hereby it is possible, according to aprogram setting, to direct any desired pattern to any flask. it is evenpossible for one pattern to remain for a longer period in thecompression station to produce a higher series of that particularcasting. Furthermore, the arrangement by'this invention is such thatpatterns not required anymore for castings, can be exchanged for newpatterns without stopping the apparatus.

Other prior units include automatic units containing a patterncirculation system. They also allow for exhange of patterns within thecycle time. The disadvantage of those systems is that a gap in thepattern circulation is not permissible and that it is not possible tohave such a controlled pattern circulation by which a pattern can remainin the compression station for a number of cycles. This is not possiblewith those systems since the flasks must pass various work stationswhile their transporting is done by the indexing of the patterns.Therefore, none of the patterns can remain on the compression stationfor more than one work cycle. These disadvantages are also overcome bythe present invention.

All existing known automatic units for producing moulds in flasks arebasically not designed to permit an optimum moulding process. Thecompressive pressure is applied from above through the sand onto thepattern. Hereby a large portion of the compressive pressure is absorbedby the sand and the flask wall. Therefore, it is proposed by the presentinvention to arrange the pattern on top with its pattern area directeddownwards. The loose sand is compressed from below directly against thepattern and all of the compressive pressure is utilized directly on thepattern surface. Even moulds produced by high pressure hydraulicmachines do not reach a satisfactory evenly distributed hardness in thearea of the pattern surface, unless a simultaneous jolt compressionmethod is applied. According to the present invention it is thereforefurther proposed to equalize the different heights of the patternelevations by different supports on the bottom of the mould throughmeans of equalizing pistons arranged below the sand. In this manner itis possible to adjust the pressure on those equalizing pistons.

At the same time, this compression system permits utilization of thedownstroke of the compression unit for the pattern draw operation whichis the most advantageous separation procedure of the mould from thepattern. By this method there are no roll-over units required forsubsequent handling procedures since the mould halves are already inproper position for core setting in the drag and inspection of the cope.Not one of the units presently available on the market allows theexpansion of the installed capacity by adding to the installation,utilizing components already used for the unit, i.e., after the buildingblock concept. Those units are designed and built either for specificpattern sizes in existence, or require new patterns or very expensivepattern changes.

The present invention therefore provides a system permitting fasteningof the pattern onto a flat, torsionresistant frame. Pattern segments arejust as easily mounted as complete patterns. Also loose patterns madefrom wood, plastic, metal and plated patterns are easily assembled atrelatively low cost onto the flat, torsion-resistant frame.

To satisfy all the requirements necessary for modern mouldingtechniques, the invention provides a process to produce casting mouldsinflasks using automated moulding machines with multiple work stationsas summarized in the following.

The necessary work functions for this integrated mould making processare separated into individual stations. After the transfer of an emptyflask from a pallet conveyor onto a turntable, the index of the flaskfrom station to station is provided by this turntable. For low andmedium capacities, copes and drags are produced in a subsequentlychanged sequence. For high capacities, two turntable combinations areintroduced for the flask index and the mould making, whereby oneturntable system is used for the cope moulds and the other for the dragmoulds. The turntable system is equipped with one pattern circulationtable each and one turntable for sprue drilling circulation and ventingfixture circulation.

When practicing the process of the present invention with only oneturntable, the copes are separated ahead of the first turntable in aseparating station and positioned onto a pallet for the copes. (Thepallets for the copes are later returned underneath the core settingconveyor.) The transferred empty flask then is indexed into the sandfillstation by the flask turntable. First backing sand and then facing sandare aerated and discharged into the flask. The flask is positioned upona lower frame which itself is located on the turntable. The turntableand'this frame have an inner opening which is precisely the same as theinner opening of the flask. This opening is closed on the bottom in thesandfill station by a sheetmetal section. This sheetmetal sectioncorresponds directly to the upper surface of the equalizing pistons inthe compression station. The sand filled flask is next positioneddirectly above the equalizing pistons after the index movement.Immediately after the exact positioning, the equalizing pistons areraised first and then the compression cylinder lifts the lift table withthe equalizing pistons mounted on it, and by simultaneously vibrating aunit above the pattern is this pressed into the moulding sand. The lifttable lifts the lower frame and flask simultaneously and presses thoseagainst the upper frame which was brought previously together with thepattern into this position by the turntable. These two mentioned framesand the flask tightly close a room against the outside, and thecompressive process takes place without any loss of sand.

The equalizing pistons are actuated by further raising of the lifttable. After the desired compressive pressure has been reached, duringlifting a pressure relief valve at the equalizing pistons permits themovement of the press cylinder only into the final position, wherebysand, pattern and flask finish with a slight sand projection inaccordance with normal moulding practices.

Now the press cylinder and the equalizing pistons move back, firstslowly, then fast and draw the flask with the mould down and away fromthe simultaneously vibrating pattern. The flask is lowered to theturntable and is then indexed with the turntable into a new operatingposition.

This system has the advantages of the direct compression of the patternsurface into the moulding sand, lowering the flask away from the patternwhen drawing the pattern, separation of the operations into sandfillstation and compression station, the fixed pattern positioning despitepattern circulation separate from flask circulation, producing largeseries by retaining the pattern in the compression station and properpositioning the drag for core setting without the necessity of priordrag rollover.

A transfer unit transports the flask into a position in which a millingunit is arranged below for cutting off the bottom of the mould. Theflask is then moved onto a drilling circulation turntable. In twosuccessive stations the cutting of the pouring basin and the spruedrilling are accomplished. Depending on the number of cope patterns, acorresponding circulation system operates with the arrangement ofdifferent sprue drilling machines.

An additional station is provided for piercing air holes for the mouldventing from the top down into the mould. Also, this venting turntableunit corresponds in the number of venting units with the requirements ofthe different cope patterns; A transfer unit transports the finishedmould to a pallet conveyor for further transport through the coresetting line. Two of the described units are operated to achieve twicethe capacity. In these units the copes are produced on one unit and thedrags on the other unit but this one without the facilities for thesprue drilling and the venting turntables.

Here the pallet conveyor for the copes is equipped with a pallet returnconveyor. The empty cope flasks in this arrangement are lifted from theempty drag flask by the first transfer unit and transported onto thefirst turntable for the flask circulation. The cope flask is arrangedsymmetrically to the center line with bushings to avoid the necessity ofa rollover, while the drag is equipped with pins on the parting line andwith bushings on the opposite side for proper positioning on the palletsand turntables.

The basic units of the turntables can be used for the flask circulation,pattern circulation and the index movements in the areas of the spruedrilling and venting holes piercing units circulation.

Other turntable units for the sprue drilling and vent hole piercing areeasily mountable in operative relationship to the other previouslymentioned turntables.

The pallet conveyor can be used either for the combined cope and dragline or for separate cope and drag systems. Therefore it is possible toexpand these lines in phases. Spare parts deliveries become a simplematter subject to the establishment of flask size program. Within astandard machine size it is possible to vary flask sizes by reducing oradding of equalizing pistons whereby the lower and upper frames areconstructed to have their inner dimensions corresponding to the innerdimensions of the flask.

An automatic pouring unit can be controlled from the program establishedfor the pattern circulation.

Further details and features of the present invention are given in thefollowing description of the drawings which show three preferredembodiments of the possibilities of the process which can bemanufactured for the automatic production of casting moulds in flasksafter the direct moulding method through the use of multiple stationmachines, wherein:

FIG. I is a top view showing an embodiment having one multiple stationmachine group for the alternate moulding of copes and drags for acapacity of approximately 200 complete moulds per hour ready for pour-FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken along line AA of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along line B--B of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a schematic representation of the direct moulding system inthe seven basic phases of operation;

FIG. 5 is a top view showing an embodiment having two multiple stationmachine groups for the moulding of cope and drag moulds each on one ofthe groups for a capacity of approximately 400 complete moulds per hourready for pouring;

FIG. 6 is a sectional view taken along the lines CC and DD of FIG. 5;and

FIG. 7 is a top view of an embodiment showing only one multiple stationmachine for the alternative moulding of cope and drag moulds for acapacity of approximately 100 complete moulds per hour, and ready forpouring and in the stage of a first installation phase with thepossibility of expansion by adding same and similar tuntable units toachieve capacities of approximately 200 respectively 400 complete mouldsper hour ready for pouring.

Referring now to FIG. 1 there is shown turntables l, 2, 3 withsupporting fixtures arranged for example at to each other to perform thecycling index of the flasks counter clockwise as described morecompletely below.

A return conveyor 4 for empty flasks transports the empty cope flasks 5and drag flasks 6 automatically and separately to a position 7 in frontof the turntable 1 where they are stopped mechanically. A transfer unit8 (not shown) transports the empty cope flask 5 to the station 9 of theturntable 1.

Further operations take place simultaneously at the operating stations10, ll, 12, 13, 14, l5, 16 of the turntables 1 and as well as on theoperating station 17 of the milling station 18 shown in FIG. 2 which aredescribed in the following with the sequence of the example of the copeflask 5. 1

After the cope flask 5 has been set down on station 9, the turntable 1indexes the cope flask 5 to station 10. A special measuring sand hopper19c, as shown in FIG. 2 and as described later, discharges first back-upsand 19a and subsequently facing sand 19b through the cope flask 5 tothe compartment 20 having the same clear widths dimensions as the copeflask 5. This compartment 20 is formed by the lift table 46 and theframe 21 and by an opening of the same size in turntable 1. Thecompartment 20 is closed on the bottom by a fixed sheetmetal bridge 23which reaches from station to station 1 1. Subsequently, the cope flask5 is indexed by turntable 1 to position 11 where the compression anddraw cycle takes place. The corresponsing pattern 27 (see FIG. 3) hasbeen indexed simultaneously from position 24 by turntable 2 into aposition precisely above position 11 of the turntable l. (The sequenceof operations of compressing and vibrating and subsequently drawing themould downwards, taking place now, is described later in more detail.)The cope flask 5 is again set down on turntable l in position 11.Thereafter, turntable l indexes to position 12 where the cope flask 5 istransferred by means of clamping fixtures 28 (FIG. 2) of the transferunit 29 to position 17 from position 12. The automatic milling unit 18cuts off the sand projecting from the bottom of the mould (position 17).(During the transfer of the cope flask 5 onto position 17, the dragflask positioned there prior to this movement, is transferred with thesame transfer unit 29 but with different clamping fixtures 30simultaneously to station 13 of the turntable 3 see FIG. 2.)

After another index of the turntable 1 by 90 during the following cycle,the cope flask 5 is transferred by means of the clamping fixtures 30 ofthe transfer unit 29 into position 13 of turntable 3. The flasks areindexed by turntable 3 to the operating stations for the cutting of-thepouring basin, the drilling of the sprue hole and the piercing of thevent holes. The operations are separated into position 13 for theautomatic cutting of the pouring basin (pouring system for the metalreceiving) by means of the milling unit 13a, into position 14 for theautomatic drilling of one or more sprue holes by means of the spruedrill unit 31 and into position for the automatic piercing from top ofthe air vents by means of the venting fixture 32. The cope flask is setdown into position 34 of the core setting line 35 from position 16 ofthe turntable 3 with a transfer unit 33 (not shown). Cope moulds anddrag moulds follow each other during the production run on the coresetting line 35 with the opened pattern area facing upwards in theproper position for core setting and inspection. The empty flasks 5 and6 which move individ-' ually on conveyor 4 are each located on a pallet5a which moves after take off of the flask empty to position 7 andreceives the drag flask 6 at position 34.

v The cope flasks 5 from position .34 are also transferred to a freedpallet 5a in the core setting line 35. Those pallets 5a have beenpreviously returned on a pallet return line (not shown) arranged beneaththe core setting line 351 Thee flasks 5, 6 are indexed with turntable 2into the compression station 11 of turntable 1. Cope patterns 25, 27 anddrag patterns 24a, 26a (not shown) residing respectively in positions 24and 26 on FIG. 1 are normally moved alternately to compression station11 of turntable 1. When larger series are required from one patternpair, then only these patterns are indexed back and forth into thecompression station 11. The removal of those patterns that are no longerrequired takes place at position 36, corresponding to the storage areafor used patterns and after a turn, a new pattern half is introducedinto the system at position 37, corresponding to the storage area fornew patterns. A pattern exchange without interruption of the cycle ispossible. After the pattern exchange at a later point of time, the spruedrilling unit 31, 31a of the sprue drilling circulation unit 38 must bereadjusted. The venting combination 32 and 32a of the ventingcirculation unit 39 is exchanged two cycles later if required, after aprior pattern exchange. One operator, therefore, can take care of allwork functions successively in connection with a pattern exchangewithout disruption of production.

FIG. 2 shows the sandfill station 19, which is station 10 shown inFIG. 1. The sandhopper 19c is separated by two blade locks 40 and 41into two compartments 42 and 43, one on top of the other. The requiredfacing sand is in the top compartment 42. The required amount of backingsand has been charged into the lower compartment 43 by a sand deliverysystem (not shown). After the index of, for example, the cope flask 5into position 10 of the turntable l, the blade lock 41 opensautomatically simultaneously operating an aerating unit 44 to achieve aneven distribution of backing sand in the compartment 20 below.Thereafter, the blade lock 40 is opened and the facing sand 19b fallsthrough the already opened blade lock 41 and through the aerating unit44 evenly distributed into the compartment 20. The required amount ofmoulding sand for the mould making has so been charged at station 10without any loss of sand. The precharging of the sandhopper 19c withbacking sand into the compartment 43 takes place after closing of theblade lock 41 and the precharging of facing sand into the compartment 42after closing of the blade lock 40.

An important unit of the multiple station direct moulding automat isshown in FIG. 3. In this station, the compacting and drawing down of themould takes place. In this position 11 of turntable 1, beginning at thebottom, the press cylinder 45 with the lift table 46 above, arearranged. On top of the lift table 46 area number of equalizingcylinders 47 with equalizing pistons 48 arranged so that the completemould flask area is covered by the equalizing pistons 48. The uppersurfaces of the equalizing pistons 48 are in their lower start-upposition in horizontal alignment with the upper surface of fixedsheetmetal bridge 23 of the sandfill station 10, or respectively in oneline with lower surface of the opening 22 of turntable 1 and thereforeclosing the bottom of the opening.

Each of the equalizing cylinders 47 is in liquid communication with aline 47a which in turn is provided with an adjustable pressure reliefvalve (not shown). By adjusting these pressure relief valves todifferent pressures, the outer equalizing pistons can be adjusted togive a pressure on the sand which is different from the inner equalizingpistons. The lift table 46 is equipped with four lift pins 49 whichcorrespond with the above guide pins 50 which are fastened in thevertically slidable frame 21. The frame 21 encloses the compartment 20and can be lifted upwards from turntable 1. The cope flask 5, forexample, rests on the top surface of frame 21 and is properly positionedwith locating pins 51. Above the cope flask is the frame 53 movable inguide pins 54 with inner dimensions to enclose precisely the pattern 27and only far enough above the cope flask 5 to avoid its locating pins 52during the rotation of either the cope flask 5 or the frame 53. Thepattern 27 is fixed to turntable 27a with a spacer 55 and is supportedagainst the compressive force by a bearing 56 which is connected by themachine frames at the side with the lower foundation frame 57. Avibrating unit 58 is mounted within the bearing 56.

The loose back up sand 19a and the loose facing sand 1912 as shown inFIG. 4, Position a, has been indexed over the fixed sheetmetal bridge 23from the sandfill station into the operating position. The top surfacesof the equalizing pistons 48 support the sand and close the loweropening 22 of the turntable 1. First, the equalizing cylinders 47receive pressure and the equalizing pistons 48 move the sand up. As soonas the evenly upward moving equalizing pistons 48 have reached theparting line 59, which is identical with the lower surface of frame 21,the press cylinder 45 also receives pressure. In addition, the lifttable 46 now moves up together with the equalizing cylinders 47 and thefour lift pins 49. The lift pins 49 position themselves in the guidepins 50 and lift the frame 21 as well as the cope flask 5 from theturntable 1 whereby the cope flask 5 in Position b comes into contactwith frame 53 and so closes completely tightly the entire compartment inwhich the sand is moving up. The frame 53 slides simultaneously on guidepins 54 upwards past the pattern parting line 60 according to thelifting speed of press cylinder 15. The vibrating unit 58 is switched onnow. Since it is not possible for the sand to escape sideways, acounteracting pressure is applied to the equalizing pistons 48 accordingto the different elevations of the pattern 27 and the equalizing pistons48 adjust themselves to different stroke lengths (see Position c). Thedesired compressive pressure is controlled by a relief valve (not shown)to a desired pressure per square inch moulding area (above 100 psi highpressure moulding) and after exceeding this pressure, the cope flask 5moves past the sand package into its final upper position because of thegreater force of the press cylinder 45. The pattern 27 is presseddirectly into the sand (direct moulding method) from the top down undersimultaneous vibrations to maintain the fluidity of the sand. The finalupper position of the cope flask 5, according to Position d, has beenreached if the complete frame arrangement 21, 5, 53, is pressed againstthe support bearing 56. The high dimensions of the upper frame 53 areselected so that the generally desired sand projection is maintained.Herewith, the compression cycle is completed. The draw cycle of thecompacted mould half is initiated by a slow and thereafter (Position 2)fast lowering of the lift table 46 by switching off the vibrator 58during the last part of the slow draw. The equalizing pistons 48 aremoved down faster in relation to the lift table 46 to relieve thepressure at the mould surface. This situation is shown in Position f.

Position 3 shows the cope flask 5 resting on turntable 1, ready forfurther transport to position 12.

FIG. 5 demonstrates how it is possible to double the capacity of thepreviously explained system by adding a second turntable group. In thiscomplex, one turntable group produces only cope flask moulds and theother turntable group produces only drag flask moulds. The returnconveyor 61 for empty flasks transports pairs of cope flasks 89 and dragflasks 90 upon a pallet 91 into position 62. A transfer unit 63 (notshown) takes the cope flask 89 from position 62 and transfers it intoposition 64 of turntable 65 for the making of the cope flask mould. Thecope flask 89 is indexed by turntable 65 into the sandfill station 66and subsequently into compression station 67. Prior to this, a patternhas been indexed into station 67 by turntable 68. This patterncirculation unit 68 contains three different patterns, for example. Itis however, possible to arrange for any other number of patternsaccording to the existing production schedule requirements. At similarsized production series, the patterns 69 and 70 pass the compressionstation 67 one after the other. At the production requirements of alarger series from one and the same casting however it is possible tocontain a pattern in the compression station 67 for a longer period oftime once it has been indexed into this station. This is controlled by aprogram selection at the automatic control system (not shown) for thisunit. After the cope flask 89 completes the compression and draw cycle,it is indexed by turntable 65 into position 71 from where the cope flask89 is transported by a transfer unit 72 (not shown) into position 73 forautomatic cut-off of the mould back in this position. During thefollowing operation cycle, the transfer unit 72 moves the cope flask 89with the other set of clamping fixtures into position 74 of turntable75. The pouring basin is cut into the mould at position 74. Theturntable 75 indexes further by 90 and indexes the cope flask 89 intostation 76 for automatic drilling of the sprue holes. The fixture forthe drilling of one or more sprue holes is a part of drillingcirculation system 77. The number of different drilling systems 78 and79 correspond with the number of patterns in the pattern circulationunit 68 and, for example, is shown here with three stations. Thefinished drilled mould in cope flask 89 is further indexed by turntable75 into station 80. The vent holes are pushed from the top into themould by the venting circulation unit at station 80. The ventingcirculation unit consists of turntable 81, with, for example, twoventing pierce fixtures 82 and 83. The number of fixtures in thisarrangement corresponds with the number of fixtures in the patterncirculation unit 68. Another index cycle of turntable 75 moves the mouldin cope flask 89 into position 84. The transfer unit 85 as shown in FIG.6 takes this cope flask and transports it into position 86 which isabove the conveyor 85a for empty drag flasks.

At further cycles of operations the cope flask mould is moved withtransfer units 85 and 86a to position 87. Here the cope flask 89 is setdown onto a pallet 88 which has been returned to this station by apallet return conveyor 92 (not shown) which is arranged beneath the copeflask transport conveyor 92a. Those moulds can be inspected. Cores canbe set on this cope mould transport conveyor 92a and the transport moveson to a mould closing fixture (not shown). After removing the cope flask89 in position 62, only the empty drag flask remains in this position onpallet 91. Both are further transported underneath station 86 toposition 93. A transfer station 94 (not shown) transports the emptyflask 90 into station 95 of turntable 96. The drag flask moulds areproduced in this station. The sequence of operations is the same asdescribed for the machine producing the cope flask moulds. Thisturntable 96 is identical in its dimensions with the turntables 65 and75. The operations follow with sand filling in station 97, mouldcompressing and mould draw in station 98 and index into station 102.Prior to this, the proper pattern has been indexed into station 98 bythe pattern circulation unit 99 which is identical in arrangement withthe pattern circulation unit 68 and contains the pattern plates 100 and101. A transfer unit 103 (not shown) moves the drag flask 90 intostation 104 where the lower mould back is cut off. The same transferunit 103 subsequently moves the drag flask 90 into station 105 of theturntable 106 which is identical with the turntable 75. No furtheroperations are performed in this turntable. Cores can be set in stations107 and 108. These stations are especially suitable for the automaticcore setting, for example, of cylinder block cores also with circulatingcore setting fixtures (iron arms), similar to turntables 68, 81 and 99.The turntable 96 is used for the transport of the drag flask 90 overstations 107, 108 to 109. The drag flask 90 is from here transferred bytransfer unit 100 (not shown) into station 111 on the pallet 91 whicharrived in the meantime. From here, the drag flask mould moves into thecore setting conveyor 112 where the cores are set.

FIG. 7, for example, shows a system with only one turntable 113 for theflask circulation and one turntable 114 for the pattern circulation. Forlow capacity requirements, cope and drag flask moulds are produced heresuccessively. A separating unit (not shown) has already separated thecope flasks 116 from the drag flasks 117 and replaced the cope flaskbehind the drag flask upon a pallet 118 in the return conveyor for emptyflasks. The pallets for the cope flasks are returned later beneath thecore setting conveyor 119.

An empty drag flask 117 is removed from the pallet 118 in station 121and transferred with a transfer unit 120 onto the free station 122 ofturntable 113. The turntable 113 indexes this flask into the sandfillstation 123 whereby another moulded drag flask 117 is indexed intostation 122 which is further transferred back by transfer unit 120 ontothe free pallet in station 121. Station 122 of the turntable istherefore empty now and during the following cyle is indexed without anempty flask into sandfill station 123 which does not operate during thiscoming cycle of operations. At the same time the turntable 114 indexes anew pattern into the compression station ahead. Also the previouslymentioned drag flask 117 has been indexed simultaneously into thecompression station 124, compressed and the pattern drawn according tothe previously explained method. An empty cope flask 116 is transferredat the same time with th transfer unit 120 from station 121 to the freestation 122 of the turntable 113. Therefore, the following situation isestablished: station 121 on the pallet conveyor 119 is emtpy, station122 is occupied with an empty cope flask, station 123 for the sandcharging is empty, a finished drag flask mould is located in compressionstation 124, the turntable 114 for the pattern circulation indexes onlyevery other cycle of the turntable 113 for the flask circulation sinceevery other station in the area of the compression station 124 iswithout a flask.

The mould is indexed from station 124 to 126 and further transportedinto station 128 with a transfer unit 127 (not shown) where the mouldback is cut smooth. After a further index cycle of turntable 113 and ofthe pallet conveyor 119, this drag flask mould 11-7 is returned to theemptied station 126 by the transfer unit 127.

During another index cycle of turntable 113, the cope flask mould 116 ismoved to station 126 and further to station 128 for the smooth cuttingof the mould back as well as the piercing of the vent holes with theventing fixture and subsequent return transfer to station 126 for thecutting of the pouring basin from underneath. The last operation on thecope flask mould is performed in station 122 by the drilling of thesprue hole.

The patterns can be exchanged without stopping the machining cycles instations 129 and 130 of the turntable 114 for the pattern circulation.

As many moulds as desired can be produced from only one pattern byturning the turntable 114 for the pattern circulation back and forth.Therefore, also this system permits the adjustment of the patternscheduling to larger series of production.

The capacity of this system is only one quarter of the previouslydescribed system equipped for separate production of cope and drag flaskmoulds. Since this transport system moves only every other cycle, onepattern half of the four circulation pattern halves is moved into thecompression station.

What is claimed is:

1. An apparatus for producing foundry moulds comprising:

A. a machine frame,

B. a flask turntable vertically journaled on the machine frame,

C. a pattern turntable vertically journaled on the machine frame,

D. a flask resting on the flask turntable,

E. a pattern depending from the pattern turntable,

F. means for placing sand ina compartment comprising the flask,

G. means for rotating the flask turntable and the pattern turntable toposition the pattern above the flask,

H. equalizing pistons means for pressing the pattern into the sand whileconfining the sand to the compartment;

I. a drilling turntable vertically journaled on the machine frameadapted to drill holes up from the bottom in the mould while the mouldis in the flask,

J. means for transferring the mould in the flask from the patternturntable to the drilling turntable.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the compartment comprises:

a. an opening in the pattern turntable,

b. a first vertically slidable frame resting on the turntable,

0. the flask resting on the slidable frame, the flask having a cavity,

d. a second vertically slidable frame surrounding the pattern, thesecond frame having a cavity, wherein the inner transverse dimensions ofthe opening and the cavities of the frame are all equal.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the outer equalizing pistons can beadjusted to different compressive pressures from the inner equalizingpistons.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a sand hopper positionedabove the flask turntable and adapted to deposit a premeasured amount ofsand into the flask,

wherein the sand hopper is divided into two vertically spacedcompartments separated by a bladelock, the bottom of the lowercompartment having a bladelock, whereby the flask can be filled withcoarse sand located in the lower compartment and finer facing sandlocated in the upper compartment.

5. An apparautus of claim 1 for the production of foundry mouldscomprising:

A. said flask support table having a major opening therein flanked bytwo minor openings adapted to receive guide pins,

B. said pattern means including a first vertically slidable frame havingan inner cavity of transverse dimensions exactly corresponding to themajor opening in the flask support table, the walls of the verticallyslidable frame being positioned over the minor openings in the flasksupport table,

C. said flask having an inner cavity, the inside transverse dimensionsof which exactly correspond to the inside transverse dimensions of theinner cavity of the vertically slidable frame and of the major openingin the flask support table,

D. said pattern turntable vertically journaled on the frame on an axisparallel to the axis of rotation of the flask support table,

E. a pair of guide pins depending from the pattern table,

a second vertically slidable frame slidably mounted on the guide pins,the second frame having a central cavity, the transverse dimensions ofwhich are identical to the transverse dimensions of the flask, the firstslidable frame, and the major opening in the flask support table,

G. a pattern attached to, and depending from, the

pattern turntable, the pattern lying within the cavity of the secondslidable frame,

H. an upwardly opening press cylinder attached to the machine frame,

I. a piston slidably mounted in said press cylinder,

J. a lift table attached to the press piston,

K. a plurality of vertically extending equalizing cylinders attached tosaid lift table,

L. a number of equalizing pistons slidably mounted on each of saidequalizing cylinders, the upper surfaces of said equalizing pistonsdefining a surface closing the bottom of the compartment defined by themajor opening in the flask support turntable, the first slidable frame,and the flask, each of said equalizing cylinders being in liquidcommunication with a line having an adjustable relief valve therein,

M. a pair of lift pins attached to said lift table being verticallymounted to slide through the minor holes in the pattern turntable andcontact the first slidable frame in order to move it upward, wherein:

a. the major opening in the pattern turntable, the first slidable frame,the second slidable frame, and the flask define a sand-retainingcompartment,

b. application of hydraulic pressure on the press cylinder raises thelift table causing the equalizing cylinders to raise the sandcompressing it around the pattern in the compartment.

6. An apparatus for continuous manufacture of casting moulds in mouldboxes prefilled with sand comprising:

a plurality of work stations;

a first turntable provided with means to carry said mould boxes andmeans to index at a predetermined cycle said mould boxes from workstation to work station;

a squeeze unit and a compressing station;

a plurality of pattern plates with patterns facing downwards;

a second turntable;

means to mount said plurality of pattern plates on said secondturntable;

means to lift said mould boxes prefilled with sand against one of saidpatterns at a time; and

means to lower said boxes;

said second turntable mounted with its orbit to cross the orbit of saidfirst turntable at the compression station;

said first turntable comprising a mould box unloading station furthercomprising:

a third turntable to receive and transport said mould boxes;

an intermediate station with a cut-off unit;

said third turntable spaced from said mould box station by saidintermediate station;

a sprue drilling fixture and a venting fixture mounted with theirorbital path to intercept the paths of said plurality of work stations.

7. An apparatus for continuous manufacture of casting moulds as claimedin claim 6,

said first turntable further comprising means to index within onerotation successively into four working positions;

said plurality of work stations further comprising:

a mould box loading station;

a sandfill station;

said second turntable provided with a plurality of work stations andmeans to index at the said cycle of said first turntable differing tosize and directions.

1. An apparatus for producing foundry moulds comprising: A. a machineframe, B. a flask turntable vertically journaled on the machine frame,C. a pattern turntable vertically journaled on the machine frame, D. aflask resting on the flask turntable, E. a pattern depending from thepattern turntable, F. means for placing sand in a compartment comprisingthe flask, G. means for rotating the flask turntable and the patternturntable to position the pattern above the flask, H. equalizing pistonsmeans for pressing the pattern into the sand while confining the sand tothe compartment; I. a drilling turntable vertically journaled on themachine frame adapted to drill holes up from the bottom in the mouldwhile the mould is in the flask, J. means for transferring the mould inthe flask from the pattern turntable to the drilling turntable.
 2. Theapparatus of claim 1, wherein the compartment comprises: a. an openingin the pattern turntable, b. a first vertically slidable frame restingon the turntable, c. the flask resting on the slidable frame, the flaskhaving a cavity, d. a second vertically slidable frame surrounding thepattern, the second frame having a cavity, wherein the inner transversedimensions of the opening and the cavities of the frame are all equal.3. The apparatUs of claim 1, wherein the outer equalizing pistons can beadjusted to different compressive pressures from the inner equalizingpistons.
 4. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a sand hopperpositioned above the flask turntable and adapted to deposit apremeasured amount of sand into the flask, wherein the sand hopper isdivided into two vertically spaced compartments separated by abladelock, the bottom of the lower compartment having a bladelock,whereby the flask can be filled with coarse sand located in the lowercompartment and finer facing sand located in the upper compartment. 5.An apparautus of claim 1 for the production of foundry mouldscomprising: A. said flask support table having a major opening thereinflanked by two minor openings adapted to receive guide pins, B. saidpattern means including a first vertically slidable frame having aninner cavity of transverse dimensions exactly corresponding to the majoropening in the flask support table, the walls of the vertically slidableframe being positioned over the minor openings in the flask supporttable, C. said flask having an inner cavity, the inside transversedimensions of which exactly correspond to the inside transversedimensions of the inner cavity of the vertically slidable frame and ofthe major opening in the flask support table, D. said pattern turntablevertically journaled on the frame on an axis parallel to the axis ofrotation of the flask support table, E. a pair of guide pins dependingfrom the pattern table, F. a second vertically slidable frame slidablymounted on the guide pins, the second frame having a central cavity, thetransverse dimensions of which are identical to the transversedimensions of the flask, the first slidable frame, and the major openingin the flask support table, G. a pattern attached to, and dependingfrom, the pattern turntable, the pattern lying within the cavity of thesecond slidable frame, H. an upwardly opening press cylinder attached tothe machine frame, I. a piston slidably mounted in said press cylinder,J. a lift table attached to the press piston, K. a plurality ofvertically extending equalizing cylinders attached to said lift table,L. a number of equalizing pistons slidably mounted on each of saidequalizing cylinders, the upper surfaces of said equalizing pistonsdefining a surface closing the bottom of the compartment defined by themajor opening in the flask support turntable, the first slidable frame,and the flask, each of said equalizing cylinders being in liquidcommunication with a line having an adjustable relief valve therein, M.a pair of lift pins attached to said lift table being vertically mountedto slide through the minor holes in the pattern turntable and contactthe first slidable frame in order to move it upward, wherein: a. themajor opening in the pattern turntable, the first slidable frame, thesecond slidable frame, and the flask define a sand-retainingcompartment, b. application of hydraulic pressure on the press cylinderraises the lift table causing the equalizing cylinders to raise the sandcompressing it around the pattern in the compartment.
 6. An apparatusfor continuous manufacture of casting moulds in mould boxes prefilledwith sand comprising: a plurality of work stations; a first turntableprovided with means to carry said mould boxes and means to index at apredetermined cycle said mould boxes from work station to work station;a squeeze unit and a compressing station; a plurality of pattern plateswith patterns facing downwards; a second turntable; means to mount saidplurality of pattern plates on said second turntable; means to lift saidmould boxes prefilled with sand against one of said patterns at a time;and means to lower said boxes; said second turntable mounted with itsorbit to cross the orbit of said first turntable at the comprEssionstation; said first turntable comprising a mould box unloading stationfurther comprising: a third turntable to receive and transport saidmould boxes; an intermediate station with a cut-off unit; said thirdturntable spaced from said mould box station by said intermediatestation; a sprue drilling fixture and a venting fixture mounted withtheir orbital path to intercept the paths of said plurality of workstations.
 7. An apparatus for continuous manufacture of casting mouldsas claimed in claim 6, said first turntable further comprising means toindex within one rotation successively into four working positions; saidplurality of work stations further comprising: a mould box loadingstation; a sandfill station; said second turntable provided with aplurality of work stations and means to index at the said cycle of saidfirst turntable differing to size and directions.